The Spirit Vacation
by AdmiralJoe
Summary: The Spirit World welcomes an untested couple. Korra and Asami may be looking for an isolated, relaxing vacation, but what they find is a place where deep-seated emotions and unspoken fears cannot be ignored.
1. The Spirit Vacation, Part 1

Asami gripped Korra's hands more tightly as a whirlpool of tertiary colors enveloped them. Korra's face seemed to morph under the shifting light. The whole effect was disorienting to the point that Asami could barely recognize the person in front of her, until she refocused on the pair of steady blue eyes gazing at her. Asami felt a tear roll down her cheek, and closed her eyes tight.

"Are you doing okay?," Korra said. Her strong voice echoed slightly in an otherworldly way, giving no clear impression of the space around them.

Asami leaned her head forward slowly until their foreheads touched, still too ashamed and nervous to open her eyes again. "I don't know," Asami replied. "I feel happier than I've ever been before, but I've never been in this much pain."

Korra wrapped her arms around Asami, bringing her into a gentle hug, and whispered into Asami's ear. "I don't know that I'll ever be able to take away that pain, but I promise I will _always_ try my best to make you happy."

Asami sniffed and turned away to wipe her eye. "Thank you. That means...that's, I mean...thank you. Thank you so much."

She felt Korra's hands on each of her shoulders. "Look," Korra said. "We're here."

Asami looked up and after a moment, her eyes widened in astonishment. The more she searched, the less she could focus on any single thing. The clouds roiled in strange formations, lit from indeterminate angles. The ground around them seemed to swell like the sea and the untamed grass waved in a breeze she could not feel. Small luminescent spirits skittered and flew into her periphery, then faded as quickly as she could spot them. Everything around them danced as though to a rhythm she could not perceive.

"This is incredible," Asami said. "Do you really come here all the time? Is it always like this?"

"Actually, no," said Korra, scanning the horizon. "Everywhere I've been to in the Spirit World is completely different. The only other time I've seen this place is when Kuvira blasted us here with her spirit weapon. Since I've pretty much only ever come here to fulfill my duty as the Avatar, I guess I never really stopped to appreciate the view." She glanced at Asami and smiled.

"There's no reason not to start now! I'd say I could get used to this," Asami said as she continued to survey their surroundings, "but to be honest, I don't think I ever will."

"Me neither." Korra took Asami's hand. "Come on," she said, leading her away from the portal. "There's something I want to show you."

"Does it have to be a surprise?," Asami asked. Korra lead her toward a nearby forest with a slightly ominous auburn haze permeating it.

"It won't take long to get there," Korra said. "The other two spirit portals are connected in the Spirit World, so I bet this one will be nearby too. Besides, we'll get to visit Xai Bau's Grove on the way."

Korra saw cautious interest on Asami's face. "Is that Xai Bau's Grove over there? But..." Asami hesitated. "But, isn't this that Red Lotus place?"

"Don't worry," Korra said as they weaved around the first tree. "It may be named after the founder of the Red Lotus, but it's one of the most peaceful places in the whole Spirit World. Just ask him!" Korra pointed to a silhouette materializing in the haze.

A throaty chuckle came from the figure ahead of them. "I'm surprised to hear this place was named after Xai Bau." A plump bearded man stepped into view. He smiled and waved at them.

Korra and Asami exclaimed simultaneously, "Iroh!" They looked at each other. "How do you know him?" Korra asked. "I thought you've never been to the spirit world before!"

"I haven't," Asami said. "His picture's in about a million history books."

"Oh. Right." Korra scratched her head, slightly embarrassed. "I guess it's been a while since I've cracked open a text book. Or any book, for that matter."

Korra rushed forward and hugged the old man. After a moment's surprise, he returned the hug graciously. "I can't believe it's you," Korra said. "You helped me so much the last couple times we met. Thank you."

"It was a small favor for a good friend, Avatar," Iroh said, as Korra released him and beckoned Asami closer. "And I see you've brought someone very special to you," he said, smiling warmly at Asami.

Asami blushed. "Uh, hi. I'm Asami."

"I am honored to meet you, Asami." Iroh gave her a respectful Fire Nation bow. Asami felt extremely grateful for the etiquette lessons her father had given her as a child, to be cultured enough to return the gesture accurately.

"So," Iroh said. "To what does the spirit world owe the honor of accepting such graceful guests?"

"We're on vacation together," Korra said, grinning at Asami. "Her idea."

"Oh! I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Iroh said. He raised his hands in front of him apologetically. "Please, allow me to excuse myself if you two would rather be alone."

Korra was indecisive, and glanced at Asami for her opinion. "Um, well, this is my first time getting a tour of the Spirit World," Asami said. "Who better to show me around than the Avatar and someone who's been living here for more than half a century?"

"Huh," he said. He stroked his beard in bemusement. "It's been that long already? Well, if you're unfamiliar with the Grove, I would love to escort you ladies through it," Iroh said. "Shall we?" He extended an arm toward the Grove's canyon and waited for them to start moving.

As they walked together, Iroh said, "Shortly after I began living in the spirit world, Xai Bau came looking for me. We had a very interesting conversation about philosophy."

"Well, I don't know what he said to you," Korra said bitterly, "but after he came back, he formed the Order of the Red Lotus. They tried to kill me."

Iroh's expression became downcast. "Ah. Xai Bau struck me as an intelligent but confused young man," he said. "He was an initiate of the White Lotus, but he seemed to think the world depended too heavily on the Avatar's help, and that without the Avatar as a crutch, they would learn to help themselves and begin living freely. When I tried to show him how the Avatar has helped shape our worlds, both Physical and Spiritual, he gave up and said he intended to discuss his ideas with Avatar Aang instead. I sensed no ill-intent in him at the time, but perhaps his ideas were twisted by those who succeeded him in his teachings."

"There's no doubt that Zaheer and his gang were twisted," said Korra.

Asami said, "You know, before I started hanging out with you, Korra, I'd always assumed you spiritual people were all enlightened, not troubled." She paused. "Uh, no offense to either of you, of course."

"Don't worry," Korra said, "I know what you meant."

"No offense taken," Iroh said reassuringly. "In truth, I have believed for a long time that one cannot truly appreciate the great mysteries of life without first being utterly lost in them."

Asami sighed. "My life's definitely got me feeling a little lost, lately."

They were all silent for a minute, but they continued hiking the winding path down the canyon.

Iroh eventually broke the silence. "When my son Lu Ten died during the Seige of Ba Sing Se, I feared I would never stop missing him. My physical wounds healed, but my heart continued to ache. At first I suffered because I thought I had lost Lu Ten forever. Then I believed that I would be reunited with him one day, and I suffered because I feared I could not endure the wait. It was not until I first came to the Spirit World that I realized we were never separated at all. Here, I feel his presence so strongly that I cannot help but be at peace."

Iroh glanced to his left and thought for a moment he had lost his companions. He turned around and saw them stopped ten feet away, Asami staring into the distance with glazed eyes. Korra reached for Asami's hand, looking concerned.

Iroh was about to apologize when Asami said, "You're right." She kept Korra's hand in hers and continued walking. "I _can_ feel him. It's like if I turn around, I'll see him standing right next to me. He feels so close.

"The people we love are never far if we hold that love near to us," Iroh said as they caught up. "In order to experience the joy of living, one must also endure the pain of loss; but those feelings are distinguished only by our limited perception. It is good that after everything that's happened, you two are still full of so much love."

Korra blushed and looked down. "Thank you," she said. "I guess there's no point keeping secrets here, huh?"

"When you have experienced true love for yourself, it's easy to see it in other people," Iroh said. "Although in this case, I'm afraid I'm not being figurative!"

"What do you mean?," Asami asked.

"I mean that the kind of love you both possess radiates a very particular aura," Iroh said. "I once told Korra that your emotions affect your surroundings, here in the Spirit World."

Korra remained silent for a minute. The ground was becoming far less steep. They were nearing the center of the canyon.

"After everything I've been through," Korra said, "I can't believe my confidence is gone again. I know what some people will say, but that's not what scares me. What if some of the people who say those things are people I love?"

"Korra," Asami said, "the world is already changing so quickly. If people can learn to live with all the other changes that have happened, they can learn to live with this."

Iroh laughed abruptly. "Well said! For someone so young, you sure know how to make an old man's wisdom feel obsolete."

Asami couldn't help laughing along. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't be! I'm just glad to know the Avatar has someone as strong and wise as you to support her," Iroh said.

He pointed further along their path. "That's the stream ahead. Follow it downhill; it will take you where you want to go."

"You're leaving already?," Asami asked. It was obvious to Korra that Asami was enjoying Iroh's company.

"I am looking for inspiration in painting a new Pai Sho tile, and I believe the only place for me to find it is upstream," Iroh said.

Asami's eyes lit up. She said, "I love Pai Sho! My father and I used to play it all the time."

"If we meet again before you two finish your vacation, I would be delighted to share a game with you," Iroh said, smiling broadly. "I shall paint a second tile as a gift for you when that time comes."

Korra asked, "What kind of tile are you trying to paint, anyway?"

"A Red Lotus tile, of course!" Iroh pulled from his sleeve a small glass vial filled with red paint and a blank Pai Sho tile.

"But...there is no Red Lotus tile in Pai Sho," Asami said, looking confused.

"Not yet, anyway," said Iroh, stashing his tile and paint. "The physical world isn't the only place where things are changing." He bowed once to each of them before starting off upstream alone, humming happily.


	2. The Spirit Vacation, Part 2

I like the idea of 1-3k words with updates every other day or so, but let me know if you'd prefer longer chapters. Thanks for reading.

* * *

Asami and Korra waved Iroh goodbye as he faded into the fog. It was only a few seconds before he disappeared, but his slightly off-key melody lingered.

"That was unexpected," Asami said. "I've heard rumors about Iroh living in the spirit world, but I never thought he would be so...laid back."

"I guess drinking tea with peaceful spirits for fifty years will do that to you," Korra said, laughing. She jerked her head in the other direction. "C'mon, we're almost there! I promise we'll go anywhere you want after."

"Oh, all _right_. Show me whatever it is you're dying for me to see," Asami said, bumping Korra's shoulder half-intentionally as they set off.

"I don't just want you too see it," Korra said, bumping Asami back. "I want you to experience it."

"If there's any way for me to experience it other than seeing it, I'll certainly try my best, _Avatar_ Korra," Asami said, nodding her head sagely.

Korra rolled her eyes, albeit with a slight smile on her lips. "Shoosh, you," she said. "Can't we get away from all that Avatar stuff for a bit?"

"Why? You're still the Avatar around me," Asami said. "Just because I've heard stories about your legendary belches from Bolin...and I know that your only friend growing up was a polar bear-dog...and I saw you spit off the side of the Pro-Bending Arena that one time...and-"

"Alright, alright, point taken," Korra said, interjecting. "I'm not the classiest Avatar ever." Asami giggled. "That's not exactly what I meant, though."

"Oh? Well, now I'm curious," Asami said. "What did you mean, exactly?"

Korra sighed. "I just don't want to _be_ the Avatar while I'm on vacation with my girlfriend," she said, stumbling awkwardly over the last word. Korra felt her face get hot and kept her sights firmly set straight ahead of her.

Asami kissed Korra lightly on the cheek, leaving a faint trace of her red lipstick. "Don't worry," she said. "You won't have to be."

* * *

They continued on arm in arm, chatting occasionally, until the trees and haze of Xai Bao's Grove began to thin.

Korra pointed out a circle of flat land in the distance. "That's it," she said. "We're almost there!"

Asami looked up at two beams of light piercing the sky, and the colorful trails of flying spirits spiraling from them. "Those are the original spirit portals," she said. "We're not going back to the physical world already, are we?"

"Of course not," Korra said. "I wanted to show you the Tree of Time. It used to be pretty desolate when Vaatu was imprisoned there, but now it's lush and green and attracts all kinds of spirits."

Asami seemed impressed. Korra decided she would have to thank Jinora for the suggestion.

In the physical world, it would have taken them half an hour or more to reach the stony circle surrounding the portals at their leisurely pace. It seemed to Asami like every time she blinked, they teleported significantly closer. Her heart rate increased slightly and she felt a strange giddy energy trickling through her body. She became acutely conscious of the feeling of Korra's forearm brushing against hers as they walked.

Korra said, "Are you okay? You seem a bit tense."

Asami shook her head, trying to dispel her sudden nervousness. "I'm fine. This place is just very...strange."

"Whatever it is you're feeling," Korra said, "it's probably the same thing that attracts all the spirits here."

"Then I guess it can't be that bad," Asami said, putting on a brave smile. She desperately wanted to show Korra that she trusted her.

As they approached the Tree of Time, Korra and Asami marveled at the number of spirits around it.

"I've never seen this many spirits gathered in one place," Asami said.

"Neither have I," said Korra. "It must be at least a few hundred! I wonder what they're all doing here? There weren't nearly this many last time I came here."

"I don't suppose we could just ask," Asami said tentatively.

Korra thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. "I guess it couldn't hurt to try." She approached the nearest spirit, a four foot tall owl-like creature with antlers and dark shimmering scales coating its wings. "Excuse me, can you tell me why all these spirits are gathered here? Is something happening?"

The spirit craned its neck to appraise them, then scoffed rudely. "Why am I not surprised that a couple of _humans_ came stumbling in here, asking stupid questions?"

Korra threw up her arms in annoyance. "And why am I not surprised the first spirit we ask decides to be a big jerk about it!"

Asami knew Korra well enough to break up the staredown that ensued. "Come on, Korra, we don't need to start any fights," she said patiently. She tugged gently on her companion's arm. "We can just ask someone else, it's not a big deal."

Korra harumphed and started turning away from the spirit.

Before they could leave, the spirit said, "If you _must_ know, today is the Day of Destiny. I am aware that you humans have pathetically short lifespans, so you probably do not remember. Before Vaatu was imprisoned here, this tree played many important roles in the lives of spirits and humans. For one day out of every century, the Tree grants visions pertaining to one's destiny..._if_ it deems one worthy of the knowledge. Past, present, future...the Tree of Time can reveal all on this special day. It's been ten thousand years since the Tree has bestowed its infinite wisdom on us. Naturally, it drew a crowd."

Asami found this far more exciting than Korra, who was just irritated that he'd suddenly become so forthcoming after giving her attitude.

"That's amazing! Has it ever granted you visions?," Asami asked him.

The spirit jerked his head away from them and shifted his wings. "Obviously not," he said grumpily. "If I already knew my own destiny, I would have no reason to come here."

Korra said, "What are you doing all the way over here, then? Just go up and see if it'll work this time."

"I don't have to explain myself to humans," the spirit snapped. He spread his wings and took to the sky without another word, disappearing into the winding streaks of color around the portal lights.


	3. The Spirit Vacation, Part 3

Korra squinted up at the trail of light the spirit had disappeared into. "I don't get what his problem is. Who wants to know their stupid destiny, anyway? I've pretty much known mine all my life, but that's never made things any easier for me."

"Well, it's different for you," Asami said. "You've always known what being the Avatar meant, right?"

Korra shrugged. "I guess. It's definitely not as simple as I used to think it was."

"Still," Asami said, persistently. "Isn't there _anything_ you want to know about your future?"

"We'd have to get to the tree first," Korra said, dodging the question. "What should we do?"

"I'd love to check it out, but I don't see any way to get there," Asami said. "Why don't we just relax until the crowd thins?"

"I'll make us a place to sit," Korra said shortly. She Earthbent a bench out of the ground behind them and sat with her head in her hand.

Asami took a seat next to her and said, "Is something wrong?"

"To be honest, I was hoping this trip would be a little more private," Korra said. "I thought we'd get to be alone inside the Tree."

"This isn't so bad," Asami said. "Just look at that view! That's not the kind of thing you get to see in Republic City."

Korra sat up and smiled at Asami. "You're right. Sorry. I'm really glad you're enjoying yourself."

"I am," Asami said. She sidled closer and brushed Korra's bangs out of her eyes. "And you should be, too."

Korra saw the way Asami was looking at her, their lips inches apart, and almost stopped breathing. All of Korra's plans for their trip evaporated from her mind, and all the worries she'd ever had came creeping back; What if the small part of her where doing this felt _wrong_ took over? What if, after everything they've been through together, she realized she couldn't do it?

Asami reclined and put an arm around Korra's shoulders. "Let's just wait until everyone's gone," she said. "Then we can check out the Tree. Okay?"

Korra leaned into Asami gratefully and closed her eyes. "Sounds perfect."

* * *

"Hey," Asami said, looking down at Korra's head in her lap. "Wake up, sleepy. The Tree's totally abandoned. Now's our chance to check it out."

Korra opened her eyes slightly and saw Asami's face framed by the bright red sky. "Is it? What time is it," she mumbled, sitting up.

"I don't think there's any way to tell time in the Spirit World," Asami said, giggling.

"Oh. Right." Korra stood and stretched. "Sorry I fell asleep. I hope you weren't bored."

"It's alright," Asami said. "It was cute." She winked at Korra and started toward the Tree of Time.

"How long was I out?" Korra asked. "Do you think that Day of Destiny thing is still going on?"

"It couldn't have been more than a couple hours," Asami said. "I think everyone's gone already because the Tree only gave visions to a few of the spirits."

"Really? How do you know?"

"I talked with this cute little fella who said he recognized you," Asami said. "He told me he was the one who introduced you to Toph."

"Oh! Yeah," Korra said, "I met him here at the Tree of Time, as well."

They reached the tree and climbed into the gaping hole in the trunk. Sure enough, it was completely empty.

"You didn't happen to ask any spirits how the Day of Destiny works, did you?" Korra said.

"Ah. No, sorry," Asami said. "I figured you would already know how this sort of stuff works."

"When in doubt, ohm it out," Korra said. "Tenzin liked to say that when he was trying to get me to start meditating."

Asami laughed. "He must have been desperate! You're going to have to help me, though," she said. "I've actually never meditated before."

"Don't worry, it's as easy as breathing," Korra said confidently. She sat in the lotus position near the center of the hollow. "Sitting like this with your back straight usually helps. I forget all the reasons Tenzin told me. Something about chi and cosmic energy." She waited for Asami to join her and get settled.

"Good. Just put your hands somewhere comfortable, and relax your arms. Now close your eyes and focus on the sound of my voice. Let your mind wander. You can't force yourself to stop thinking. Let your thoughts flow through you unhindered. Keep focusing on the sound of my voice..."

Korra's sight blurred, until Asami and everything else vanished.

She was replaced by a vision of a streak of white light, snaking through darkness. At places, it became entwined with other threads of light or bounced off of them dramatically, altering the course of both threads and creating colorful sparks.

She saw two divergent paths for this dance superimposed, and a focal point where the paths split. In one path, the two brightest threads were woven more and more tightly. All the lights around them became momentarily hectic before eventually settling into intricate, soothing patterns. In the other, the two threads bounced away from one another, sending them into collision courses with other lights and resulting in an increasingly dissonant tangle.

The vision began to narrow, slowly focusing on the point at which the paths diverge. Out of the darkness surrounding the two connected threads, light shining from outside the Tree of Time reappeared. The threads gradually became wider and more defined. When Korra recognized Asami in one of them, she snapped out of her autoscopic trance and toppled from her meditative position onto her back.

"Woah, are you alright?" Asami stood and leaned over Korra, looking worried.

"I'm fine, it's okay," Korra said. She sat up and held a hand to her head, still dazed.

Asami sat next to Korra and said, "What happened? Your eyes were glowing and everything!"

"They were? That's strange," Korra said, frowning thoughtfully. "I've had visions before, but nothing like that."

"What was it like? Did you see the future?"

Korra shook her head. "Not exactly. I don't think I can explain it. I'm not even sure I understand it." She took a deep breath and recomposed herself. "What about you? Did the the Tree give you any visions?"

"No, I don't think it did," Asami said. "All this place seems to do is make me really nervous." She looked down at her hands.

"What are you nervous about?" Korra asked.

"It's nothing," Asami said.

Korra placed a hand on Asami's shoulder. "Asami, please. Whatever it is, you can tell me," she said.

"I guess I'm just nervous about...you," Asami said, still looking down. "I've seen you freezing up when we're together. I understand, you're unsure. This is new to you. It was new to me once, too. I went through the same thing." She paused. "But I've also seen other girls go through this and realize it's not meant for them."

Korra lifted her hand and gently brushed Asami's cheek. Asami looked up at her timidly.

Korra knew this was it. The focal point of her vision was this moment.

She leaned in and heard a small, surprised "Oh!" from Asami cut off as soon as their lips touched.

Despite her surprise, Asami reciprocated the kiss passionately. She moved her hand to Korra's nape and ran her fingers through her hair.

After several seconds, Korra pulled away slowly and opened her eyes. She noticed a slight smudge in Asami's lipstick.

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to realize it's not meant for me? Because I kind of think you might be."


	4. The Spirit Vacation, Part 4

**AN: **Big thanks to bao-haus tumblr for permission to use her art as the cover image for this story.

* * *

"Oh. _You_ two are still here."

The intimate atmosphere evaporated instantly. Korra hung her head in defeat, and Asami shifted uncomfortably.

The owl-like spirit hopped into the Tree's hollow uninvited and kept talking, either convincingly pretending or genuinely unaware that he was interrupting. "If you two are done here, you should leave. Don't make me kick you out by force!" He puffed himself up in a way he probably thought was threatening.

Korra laughed. "Settle down, little guy," she said. "You really don't want to do that. Don't you know who I am?"

The spirit blinked at her silently for several seconds. "I do not," he said.

"Know what? Don't even worry about it," Korra said, standing. "We were just leaving anyway."

The spirit clicked his beak. "I _would_ know, if you'd just tell me," he said, bobbing his head. "I suppose you think it's my _destiny_ not to know anything, do you?"

"Woah, woah, calm down," Korra said. "My name's Korra, okay? I'm the Avatar, and this is my friend Asami."

The spirit froze mid-bob and stared at Korra. "You are the Avatar," he said slowly. "I did not know."

"And who might you be?" Asami asked kindly, kneeling next to him.

"I am Nescias," he said. "I did not know you were with the Avatar."

"That's an interesting name," Asami said. She glanced at Korra, baffled. "Would you like us to leave now?"

"I do not know," Nescias said. "Perhaps you should leave. You can stay, though. I won't kick you out."

Korra was more than willing to take that as a straight answer. "Alright, then? C'mon," she said, beckoning Asami.

Asami shook her head. She stood and whispered to Korra, "Aren't you a little worried about him? He seems confused. Maybe we should help him."

Korra sighed. "I guess," she whispered. Addressing Nescias, Korra said, "We'll just be outside if you need us, okay?"

"I did not know that," he said, nodding contently. He hopped past the two of them to the back of the hollow and sat facing the entrance, his round eyes gleaming strangely in the light from outside.

Korra and Asami shrugged at each other and climbed out of the hollow together.

As they waited silently for Nescias on the earth bench, Korra felt increasingly self-conscious, wondering if and how she should continue their conversation where it left off.

"Maybe after this, we should go see your parents," Asami said, eyes fixed on the Southern spirit portal.

Korra pulled herself out of her reverie, panicking slightly. "What, you mean, like, _right_ after this?" She cleared her throat. "Uh, I mean...what for?"

"I just think it would be nice," Asami said. "And no, I didn't mean _right_ after this. I meant, you know, after our trip is over."

"Oh." Korra felt relieved that Asami didn't expect her to face her parents just yet, but the reminder that their vacation would have to come to an end eventually was an uncomfortable one. Korra knew that once they returned to the physical world, their responsibilities would threaten to pull them away from each other indefinitely.

"We don't have to do it if you'd rather not," Asami said, delicately.

Korra shook her head. "No. You don't have to be so gentle about it, sweetie. You're right. We should see them."

Asami couldn't help smiling slightly and looked away in an attempt to hide it.

Korra squinted suspiciously. "What? Is something funny?"

"Sorry," Asami said. "I just didn't expect you to start using pet names so soon."

Korra was taken aback. "What? I didn't-," she began. Her face burned when she realized what Asami was talking about. "Oh, that? That was just, uh...a habit from...a past life?"

Asami laughed, and her sincere amusement put Korra's embarrassment at ease in a way she couldn't quite put her finger on. Korra thought back to a poem Pema had read to her when she'd asked for relationship advice while dating Mako:

_Love lays bare the Truth; Truth connects the Spirit; the Spirit sings to Heaven, and Heaven reveals itself to be Love._

She'd found it confusing and pretty useless at the time, but when she thought of how it related to herself and Asami, the meaning of it struck her so suddenly that she ended up laughing until she was sure Asami must have thought she'd gone insane.

As Korra wiped the tears from her eyes and Asami patted her on the back, a shower of teal dust announced the arrival of Nescias. Korra waved a puff of it out of her face and looked at the strange spirit that had landed in front of them.

Asami asked, "How'd it go? Any destiny left in there for you?"

"I know this now," Nescias said proudly. "I waited until everyone left because I did not want them to know I still do not know my destiny, but now I do! I saw a human conflict."

"Hold up," Korra said, sobering. "What kind of human conflict? Like, a war?"

Nescias looked at her and shifted his weight between his legs a couple times. "I do not know. There were many people."

"Nobody died, right?" Korra asked, increasingly concerned.

"I do not know. Some were crying. I have heard that humans cry when other humans die." He swiveled his head from Korra to Asami, as though awaiting the next question.

"Sounds like it could be bad," Korra said, more to Asami than Nescias.

Asami stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Nescias," she said, "was there a big box with a person lying in it?" He shook his head. "Was there a lot of food there?" He bobbed his head vigorously.

"Well, that pretty much settles it," Asami said. "It's either a dramatic argument at a family dinner, or a wedding."

"Ha! You're probably right," Korra said. "Man, you really had us going there!" She scratched the top of Nescias' head, causing the feathers between his antlers to stick up.

"What are you going to do now, Nescias?" Asami said. "Live in the physical world until your prophecy happens?"

"No," Nescias said confidently. "I know I will be there to cause the conflict. I saw it."

Korra smacked her forehead. "Wait, now you're telling us you're going to _cause_ the conflict?"

"Yes! I know this," Nescias said. He chirped happily and took to the skies once more, leaving Korra and Asami behind in a cloud of confusion and spirit dust.


	5. The Spirit Vacation, Part 5

**AN:** Big thanks to bao-haus on tumblr for the cover picture.

* * *

Korra stood and shouted at Nescias to stop. She had no idea if he could hear her, but he didn't even slow down. "Uh, do you think I should stop him?" Korra said.

"I think you'd know better than I," Asami said. "You are the Avatar, after all. I'm an engineer. Spirits aren't exactly my forte."

"I'm pretty sure I remember _someone_ saying something about me not having to be the Avatar while we're on vacation," Korra said, crossing her arms in jest.

"In that case, I think _someone_ would be very disappointed if you left her all alone in the Spirit World to chase an oddball spirit," Asami said.

"Point taken," Korra said. "So, where to now? I did promise we'd go anywhere you wanted."

Asami yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Honestly, I'm pretty bushed," she said. "Why don't we just set up camp? We can decide where to go in the..." She paused. "Does the spirit world even have mornings? Or nights?"

"As a matter of fact, it does not," Korra said knowledgeably. "I can make us a couple of earth tents to block out most of the light, though."

Asami's eyebrow arched. "And what happens when I need to use the bathroom if I'm in my own earth tent? I'm not an Earthbender."

Korra quickly became flustered. "Oh. I could, um, I'm sure I can figure something-"

Asami touched Korra's arm. "Korra, relax. We've slept in the same room before. I haven't grown lion turtle fangs, okay? Nothing's changed."

"A few things have changed," Korra said sheepishly.

"Maybe for you," Asami said, slightly sharper than she meant to.

"Oh." Korra closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "I know-"

"Stop," Asami said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. You don't have to say anything."

"Please," Korra said. "We're already on the topic. Just let me get this off my chest." Asami nodded silently. "I know I was confused and unsure of what I was feeling, and you weren't. I know I made you wait for a long time. But I also know that you're just..._perfect_, and I'm not."

"Korra, what are you talking about?" Asami said, incredulous. "You're amazing, and I'm far from perfect."

"I'm talking about how you have so much _confidence_ in everything," Korra said, pacing. "I've never seen you doubt yourself. You've never even doubted me. I've been trying to hide it, but this is hard for me. The Water Tribe where I grew up is pretty conservative, and I never thought I'd be in this position until now. I've had my nose to the grindstone my whole life, either training or trying to be the Avatar or both. Nobody ever explained this stuff to me, and I never had a chance or a reason to really think about it, let alone ask questions. I once asked Jinora and Ikki for dating advice! Two girls almost half my age! Do you get what I'm saying?" Korra looked at Asami, desperate to see that she understood.

"I'm pretty sure I know what you mean," Asami said slowly. "But I just want you to know that all of that is completely okay. No offense, but I've always assumed you were a bit...sheltered. I'm not about to suddenly start thinking less of you for it."

"Sheltered," Korra said blankly. She collapsed onto the bench next to Asami. "Yeah, I guess that's what you call it when nobody ever bothers to mention to the Avatar, hey, maybe it's okay for you to fall in love with a girl! Don't sweat it, you're not a total freak, it actually happens all the time!"

Asami kept quiet for a while. Korra was about to suggest they go to sleep so she could put all of this behind her, but Asami spoke first.

"You're really in love with me?" she said quietly.

"Yeah. I guess? Jeez, I don't even know," Korra said, not meeting Asami's eye. "I mean, I thought I was in love with Mako, but that was just me being naive. What makes this any different?"

"I don't know," Asami said. "That's a question for you to answer, not me."

Korra rubbed her face. "Sorry. That was stupid. Of course this is different, but I'm still not sure. I like you, but it's more than that. I never feel like I have to pretend to be strong or invincible. I find myself dropping barriers I didn't even know I had up. I've learned so much about myself because of you. I owe a lot of who I am today to you. Even though I know I can never repay you for that, I really want you to feel some of what I feel when I'm with you."

As soon as Korra finished, Asami threw her arms around Korra. Holding her tight, Asami said, "Don't worry. I already do." She pulled away enough to look Korra in the eyes. "I know you said you're unsure, but I just want you to know. I love you, Korra."

Korra smiled and buried her face in Asami's shoulder again. "Thanks. I had a hunch."

Asami waited for Korra to break the hug. After indulging her for almost a minute, she said, "Seriously, though. We should set up camp. I'm going to fall asleep in your arms if we keep this up."

Korra laughed softly and rose. "Sorry. That doesn't sound like the worst thing in the world, though."

Asami stood and pecked her on the cheek. "It wouldn't be, but I'd rather do it lying down."


	6. The Spirit Vacation, Part 6

**AN: **Big thanks to bao-haus on tumblr for the cover picture.

* * *

Korra flattened the earth bench she'd made and held out her hand to Asami. "Come on. Let's go back to Xai Bau's Grove to set up camp."

Asami, as tired as she was, decided not to complain about the hike and took Korra's hand.

"Close your eyes," Korra said. The instruction perplexed Asami, but she followed it without question. "Alright. Now take a step."

Asami stepped forward and a sensation similar to static electricity passed through her body. "What happened? Can I open my eyes now?" Asami said, slightly impatient.

"Yep," Korra said brightly. "We're already here."

Sure enough, they were in the midst of the twisted trees and thick fog of Xai Bau's Grove. Asami could even hear the babbling of the stream nearby. "Dare I ask where you learned _that_ one?" she said.

Korra chuckled and began unfurling her sleeping bag. "I guess you could say I've known how to do that since I was a kid," she said.

"How very cryptic of you," Asami said. "I'd ask for elaboration, but I'm probably too tired to even absorb it."

"Then you should be thanking me," Korra said. "The ground here in the Grove is so soft, you won't even remember you're not sleeping in your own bed!"

"I don't know about you, but waking up in the Spirit World and not remembering why I'm here doesn't sound so great," Asami said.

Korra sat on her sleeping bag and watched Asami rifle through her backpack. She pulled out a small piece of cloth, wetted it, and began wiping her eyes.

"Are you taking off your makeup?" Korra said.

"Isn't that obvious?"

Korra's head tilted slightly. "What are you doing that for?"

Asami laughed softly. "You're not supposed to sleep with makeup on, silly," she said. "It's bad for your skin."

"Oh, right. I knew that," Korra said stiffly, causing Asami to laugh again.

Korra's mind wandered as she absently watched Asami prepare for bed. It struck her how different Asami looked without her makeup; her skin was slightly less smooth than Korra would have guessed, the shape of her eyes and lips seemed completely different, and her cheeks were slightly freckled.

A question popped into Korra's head too suddenly for her to resist the impulse to ask it. "Do you think I'm pretty even though I don't wear makeup?" she said.

Asami paused and gave her a strange look. "What brought this on?"

"Most of the girls in Republic City wear makeup," Korra said, shrugging.

"Sure, but why would that have anything to do with whether or not I think you're pretty?"

"I'm just wondering if you think I'd look better with makeup, that's all," Korra said, starting to feel slightly self-conscious about pushing the conversation in this direction.

"What I _really_ think is that you should wear whatever makes you more comfortable," Asami said. She retrieved a comb from her bag and ran it through her hair a few times. "But if you must have my opinion, I'd say you look great without makeup and you'd look just as great with it." Korra was about to respond, but Asami read her mind. "And I'm not just saying that as a cop out."

"Fine," Korra sighed. She lay on her back and stared up at the fog-obscured branches of a nearby tree. "For what it's worth, I think you're really pretty without makeup, too. I didn't know you had freckles."

"You're too sweet," Asami said.

Korra peeked to her right and saw Asami smiling to herself as she tied her hair up. "When we get back, why don't you give me a makeover?" she said. "I know I would have turned my nose up at it in the past, but it'd be nice just to know what I look like all spiffed up, Asami-style."

Asami laid out her own sleeping bag next to Korra's. "Of course. I'd love to help. I just hope you don't get any cuter, for my sake," she said with a wink.

* * *

Tenzin rubbed his forehead. "When was the last time you saw her? Did she give you any indication where she might have gone?"

"You were with us the last time I saw her. And no, I have no idea where she went. I'm really worried about her..."

"So am I," Tenzin said. "If this is anything like when she was recovering from the poison, there is certainly cause for concern. The problem is, now that there's a third spirit portal, it's possible that she entered the Spirit World without anyone knowing."

"Maybe we should look there first."

"I'm not so sure. It will be more difficult to track her down there than in the Physical World. Jinora succeeded in finding her last time...we'll just have to hope she can do it again," Tenzin said.

_I feel so useless. We used to be so close. How could she do this again?_

The lights dimmed and flickered. A radio projected Korra's voice into the room clearly.

"I left because I am no longer needed. You are all better off without me. My service to you has exhausted me beyond my will to continue living with the ungrateful, the demanding, and the unhelpful of this world. I may have bent the elements to my will, but I bent myself to yours."

The room darkened further and a faintly glowing blue silhouette appeared. Korra's voice lost the tinny timbre of the radio transmitter, instead booming through the darkness as though it came from all directions. "Does our friendship mean so little that you would guilt me for choosing my own path? Does my now free spirit, no longer trapped in your cage, offend you? Doesn't the sacrifice of a hundred lifetimes excuse a brief moment of selfishness? Will you blame me for not rejecting my own happiness for the sake of someone like you?"

"No...I love you!"

"What does one lifetime of unwanted love mean to an immortal being? What can you offer me that I don't already have? You think me naive, but you see so little in comparison..."

"Please, wait! I'll do anything!"

"That's the problem; you can't do anything. Goodbye."


	7. The Spirit Vacation, Part 7

**AN: **This story will be coming to a close soon. I hope you've all enjoyed tagging along for the ride. I didn't expect anyone to read, let alone enjoy, my take on the Korrasami journey. Thanks for the encouragement you all gave me to finish what I started, and thanks for reading.

Shout out to bao-haus on tumblr for the wonderful cover art.

* * *

Asami inhaled sharply and sat up. A trace of light filtered into the earth tent from a hole at her feet. She looked at Korra, still sleeping soundly next to her. It was a small consolation to know that she'd just been dreaming, but the fear from her nightmare still lingered in her subconscious.

She slipped her shoes on and ducked outside through the hole in the tent. The fog was even thicker than she remembered, reducing Asami's visibility to almost nothing. She sat against a nearby tree and took deep, slow breaths to calm herself.

Asami thought back to something Iroh said: _Your emotions affect your surroundings, here in the Spirit World_. The more time she spent there, the more sure she became that he was right. She couldn't decide if it was a good or bad thing, but it was definitely _something_.

"I'm starting to think I might need a vacation from this vacation," she said to herself. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the tree.

Korra wouldn't leave me like that, she thought. I'm her friend. She cares about me. Whatever happens between us, there's no way that will ever change.

A soft rustling sound alerted Asami to someone or something's presence. Her eyes shot open and she scanned the area around her nervously. She poised herself to dart back to the tent and wake Korra if necessary.

She heard a familiar childlike voice. "Hi! You're the Avatar's friend, right?" The small spirit who had recognized Korra at the Tree of Time hopped out of the mist and waved to Asami.

Asami sighed in relief. "It's just you, thank goodness. What can I do for you, little guy?"

"You seem like you're not used to the Spirit World yet," he said. "That's why I came to see you. I think I know someone who can help. Someone not far from here."

"I don't know," Asami said doubtfully. "I don't want to leave Korra alone. What if she wakes up while I'm gone?"

"She'll be able to find you. She's the Avatar. Trust me." He beckoned for her to follow.

Asami glanced at the tent again. "Well, you have helped Korra before. I guess I could use your help, too. Alright." She stood and followed the spirit deeper into the Grove.

Asami was forced to walked carefully due to the reduced visibility, and the spirit frequently had to wait for her to catch up so she wouldn't lose sight of him. Despite the slow going, it was only a few minutes before the spirit stopped next to a particularly large tree and announced that they'd arrived.

"I don't see anyone. We're not waiting for them here, are we?"

The spirit shook his head. "Look on the other side of this tree."

Asami held her breath and slowly circled the tree, giving it a berth of several feet. Nobody appeared on the other side, but when Asami looked at the tree itself she noticed two hand-shaped carvings in the trunk. Dark red sap, still glossy and wet, bled out from them and dripped down the entire trunk to the ground.

"What _is_ this?" Asami said, astounded.

"This is the heart of the Grove, in a way. It's called the Tree of Blood." He giggled. "I think humans named it that. Spirits don't usually have blood."

"And is it related to the Tree of Time at all?"

"Yes! The Tree of Time binds the Spirit and Physical Worlds together. It also connects the past and the future to create the present. The Tree of Blood binds living creatures and spirits together. It's said that its sap is the source of both life and consciousness."

"That's all really interesting, but I don't know if it will work for me," Asami said. "I didn't feel much of anything at the Tree of Time."

"That's because the Tree of Time is equally physical and spiritual, and you aren't used to our world yet. Just like the places with unusually high spiritual energy in the Physical World, there are places in the Spirit World with more _living_ energy. This is one of them. You may not be attuned to spiritual things yet, but you are alive. The Tree of Blood can help you."

"And let me guess, you want me to put my hands in the carvings?" Asami apprehensively eyed the eerily blood-like sap dripping from the trunk.

The spirit nodded and smiled encouragingly.

Asami's intuition told her she should trust this spirit. She normally preferred to make her decisions rationally, but logic didn't seem to work so well when it came to the Spirit World. She took a deep breath, lined up her hands with the ones on the tree, and leaned forward.

As her hands sank into the sap, a low hum rang in her ears and a matching vibration passed from the tree through her body. A comfortable warmth spread from her within her chest to each of her limbs, and the static background of her anxiety and grief dissipated somewhat. She could still feel the pain of losing her father, but it no longer dampened the things that would otherwise make her happy.

She pulled her hands from the carvings and inspected them, surprised that none of the sap had stuck to her.

The spirit jumped onto Asami's shoulder. "Well? How do you feel?"

"Much better, actually," Asami said, pleasantly surprised. "I was sort of expecting a confusing vision or a cryptic message, but instead I just have this...clarity. Thank you."

* * *

Korra sat up as Asami slipped back into her sleeping bag. "Hey," she said groggily.

"Hi. Sorry for waking you. You can go back to sleep if you want."

"No, I'm not tired," Korra said, her eyes barely open. "What were you out for?"

"Just a bad dream. I'm fine now. Your spirit friend from the Tree of Time helped me feel better."

"Did he? I'll have to thank him," Korra said, smiling. "What was your dream about?"

After debating in her head for a few seconds whether to tell Korra, Asami resolved herself to be as candid as possible with Korra from now on. Suppressing her emotions had been causing her to feel conflicted and tense, and more than that, had partially resulted in Korra being away from her for three years.

Asami simply said, "I dreamed that you left." She could have elaborated, but she knew Korra would understand.

"Oh." Korra crossed her legs and turned to face Asami. "You know I won't do that again, right?"

"I know. I was just worried," Asami said. "There are a lot of ways to lose someone you care about."

"You're right. I can't promise nothing will ever happen to me, but I can promise that whatever does happen, I'll to be strong enough to face it head-on," Korra said. "Because I'll be facing it with you.

"I'm really happy to hear you say that, but you don't have to promise me anything," Asami said. "Well, maybe except for one thing."

"Anything," Korra said.

"I think we should get a little more rest, then go see your parents at the South Pole."

Korra groaned and flopped onto her back. "Fine. In that case, I've realized that I'm actually very tired and will need to hibernate for at least another month."

"Korra. It's not winter, and you're not a polar bear dog," Asami said, laughing. "I don't mind if we sleep in, but it _is_ a bit chilly, and there's enough room for one more in my sleeping bag..."

"Your city girl is showing, sweetie," Korra said as she cozied next to Asami. "Polar bear dogs don't hibernate."


	8. The Spirit Vacation, Part 8

**AN: Hi! After almost a three month break, I'm back. Expect more regular chapter updates in the coming days.**

* * *

"Hey," Asami whispered. "Ready to get up yet?"

Korra groaned and wrapped herself more tightly around Asami, still refusing to open her eyes.

"Somehow I never would have guessed you were such a cuddler," Asami said, brushing the top of Korra's head softly.

"M'not," Korra mumbled into Asami's shoulder. "You just smell nice."

"Well, I'm sure the press will be shocked to learn the Avatar is actually twelve. Come on, it's time to get up."

Korra groaned again, but finally detached herself from Asami and rolled onto her back. "Fine. I hope you plan on making this up to me, though."

"For what? Taking you to see your parents, or having the gall to wake you up?"

"Both!" Korra sat up and stretched. "I don't see why we should do either right now. We more or less have the entire Spirit World to ourselves; who knows when we'll get an opportunity to be alone like this again."

Asami's eyebrow quirked suspiciously. "Alone, huh?"

Korra cleared her throat. "You know. Now that there are _three_ Spirit Portals and all," she said nonchalantly.

Asami let it slide. "We should do both because it's important that your parents understand. And because I'm a morning person with a good internal clock who can't go back to sleep once she's awake." She paused, then added sheepishly, "Just so you know."

"Sorry sweetie, that's definitely going to be a dealbreaker. I like to sleep in."

"Gee, I hadn't noticed," Asami said, giggling. "If only I'd read the signs..."

* * *

Varrick stepped up to the bow of his yacht and shielded his eyes from the sun, spotting the towering beacon of the Southern Spirit Portal. "There it is! Ah, home sweet home at last. Bolin, tell me. Have you ever seen a Southern Water Tribe party?"

"I guess," Bolin said, shrugging. "I was here for the Glacier Spirits Festival, wasn't I? That was pretty fun."

Varrick wheezed and thumped Bolin on the back. "You thought THAT was a Southern Tribe party? Boy, you've still got a lot to learn. I don't know if you've heard, but it can get a little chilly around here. You know what keeps the chill off your back? Strong drinks, hot food, music, dancing...and let me tell you, when Water Tribe gals start dancing, you do NOT want them to stop."

"No offense, sir, but don't you think you should be careful saying that kind of stuff now that you're married?" Bolin said, glancing behind them to make sure Zhu Li wasn't nearby.

"Married, shmarried! Do you really think I'd agree to spend the rest of my life with a woman who doesn't know how to dance? Heck, it was the only reason I hired her in the first place!"

"Zhu Li's lucky to have a guy like you," Bolin said, rubbing his temples.

"Luck's got nothing to do with it, kid," Varrick said, prodding Bolin's chest. "It was fate that brought me to Zhu Li, it was fate that brought the only known lavabender in the world to me, and it was fate that brought all three of us here, where we can finally put your talents to good use!"

"Really? I thought it was your yacht," Bolin said sardonically.

Varrick chuckled and leaned onto the bow's railing. "Don't worry, it's easy to mistake careful planning for coincidence. I've rented the biggest, fanciest dinner hall in town, invited all the big-shots from both Tribes and even a few from the other Nations, hired six different catering companies to prepare traditional delicacies from all over the world, lugged an impressive prototype all the way from Republic City for the demonstration, and I'll top it all off with a business proposal too good for anyone with even one pinky toe in finance to refuse. Trust me; one way or another, tonight's going to be a fateful night, or my name isn't Iknik Blackstone Varrick!"

"You know, I've been meaning to ask about that. How could that _possibly_ be your real name? It doesn't make any sense!"

"It's a long story that my parents told better than I ever could," Varrick said. "No more time for chit-chat, kiddo. It's almost showtime!" Varrick pulled a radio transmitter from his pocket and spoke into it. "Zhu Li, do the thing!"

Zhu Li's disgruntled voice came through the other end. "Ricky." Bolin snorted at the unexpected pet name. "You can't keep ordering me around like that. Especially not when I've already done all the things. Including several which you've forgotten to do yourself, by the way."

"That's why you're my better half, darling," Varrick said sweetly.

"It took you more than long enough to admit it," she quipped back.

"Ha! I still have the rest of my life to make it up to you, my dear," Varrick said. He replaced the transmitter in his pocket.

Bolin found the whole exchange slightly embarrassing, but Varrick just winked at him and said, "There's only one person in the world who can prove me wrong, and I carved a betrothal ring for her. Charm is an art few have practiced and fewer have mastered. I hope you're paying attention, 'cos you might just learn a thing or two."

"I can still hear you," said Zhu Li with admirable patience.

"Oh, right." Varrick pulled the device out once more and turned it around in his hand, squinting. "Uh...Zhu Li, remind me. How do I turn this thing off again?"

"You can't, Ricky. You forgot to design that portable transmitter with an off switch. By the way, I only learned how to dance because I'd heard it would impress you. I hate dancing."

Bolin finally cracked, and Varrick could do nothing to quell Bolin's fits of laughter until the ship docked at the main Southern Water Tribe port several minutes later.


End file.
